London stocks were higher in early trade on Thursday, but gains were unspectacular after Fitch downgraded the UK’s credit rating outlook.
At 0830 BST, the FTSE 100 was up 0.2% at 7,064.94, while sterling was 0.1% firmer versus the dollar at 1.1339.
In equity markets, tobacco company Imperial Brands jumped to the top of the FTSE 100 as it unveiled a £1bn share buyback and said current year trading was in line with expectations. “In line with previous guidance, we expect full-year net revenue and group adjusted operating profit to both grow by around 1% at constant currency,” the company said.
Jarvis Investment Management Ltd offers a wide range of stockbroking and administration services and solutions. Their parent company, Jarvis Securities plc (LON:JIM) is listed on AIM.